Gaetano Fraschini

"[1] An Italian biographer has pointed out Fraschini's role in extending the longevity of Donizetti's operas, while at the same time accelerating the ascent of Verdi's repertory.

Fraschini sang over one hundred roles and Verdi placed him at the top of his favorite tenors' list and described him as a "natural Manrico" for his Il trovatore.

From July to September he was in Vicenza, where he sang in Mercadante's Elena da Feltre, Donizetti's Torquato Tasso and Roberto Devereux.

To crown it all he sang Pollione in Bellini's Norma with Giuseppina Ronzi de Begnis (his future mother-in-law) in the title role.

In October he made his Venetian debut at the Teatro San Benedetto as Pollione and Roberto Devereux; the primadonna assoluta was Ronzi de Begnis.

He was also the first Corrado in Il corsaro (1848), Arrigo in La battaglia di Legnano (1849), the title role in Stiffelio (1850), and Riccardo in Un ballo in maschera (1859).

[10][page needed] Fraschini retired in 1873, bidding his farewell in Rome as Gennaro in Lucrezia Borgia and in Florence as Don Alvaro in La forza del destino.